


Of Patience and Vice

by BloomTwist



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Awkward Conversations, Humans have ABO dynamics, M/M, Omega Shiro (Voltron), Platonic Relationships, Sentinel Ulaz, Sentinel/Guide, The Galras are Sentinel / guides, What are Alteans? We just don't know, an attempt at shovel talk is made, everything changes after that, season 2 compilant
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-13 08:03:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16888719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloomTwist/pseuds/BloomTwist
Summary: Five times someone thought of the relationship between Ulaz and Shiro in terms of Weakness and Endurance and one time it didn’t matter at all.(aka the ABO-Sentinel/Guide fusion mash up you didn't know you wanted)





	1. Keith

**Author's Note:**

> For the Uliro week of 2017. Once upon a Time, I wanted to write Uliro smut. Once upon a time I saw the themes of Uliro Week and said “Oh hey, I can write it with this theme!” and then I did the major mistake of “What if I do one first with a bit of backstory?”
> 
> Now I have a growing monster of 7k with no smut in sight. Why do I do these things to myself?
> 
> At least with the tumblr announcement, now I have motivation to finish all of it before the 17th and publish it all here!  
> (ﾉ´ヮ´)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧  
> (Next chapter: Allura.)

“Shiro…”

“Yes Keith?”

“About Ulaz…”

“Ah. So you too?” Shiro says tiredly, still on his uniform, turning around with a smile just as tired, and a bit pained.

Keith sees red, and yet he doesn’t act. He sits down instead, crossing his arms and waiting until his brother hears the message and does the same. There is a distance between them, but Keith scoots closer until they are properly sitting next to each other in the couch.

They had barely defeated that Robeast. But even then, the pounding on his head, the thread of panic, and pain and fear and  _no no no please don’t go, not you don’t do it don’t leave me!_  Is still pounding on his head. Shiro had begged Allura for passage, begged her to keep Ulaz on her castle and had forbidden the Galra to sacrifice himself in the fight.

The princess had probably already questioned him, if the tense lines of his shoulders were a sign. It angers him, because she will never understand what happened, what Shiro felt. For all that she demands them to make Voltron for any pin dropped, she has the gall to ignore what would have become of his brother if Ulaz died.

It took him _months_ to have Shiro truly relaxed around him for a few minutes after getting him back –and yet Shiro had been nothing but relaxed around Ulaz once he recognized the Galra. He had been wary, yes, had been curious and strategic in the knowledge the alien possessed, no doubt. But there had been implicit trust and easiness given in an instant.

Given and reciprocated with a quiet intensity that made Keith suspicious. Suspicious for different reasons, which was why he bypassed twenty questions with the Galra prisoner and went straight to the watching room he knew his brother preferred.

“I don’t care,” he states frankly glancing at him from his side, Shiro looks even more tired up close “I want to know what  _you_  want”

Because he’s waiting for it he sees the moment it catches him off guard. It's just a slow blink of his eyes, a minute relaxation of his muscles and Keith attacks accordingly, pushing his side on his brother and resting his head on his shoulder.

Cuddling, some would say. Supporting him, he would argue.

He waits and waits until Shiro finally moves rising his arm so that Keith slides more into his chest. He can now hear the uneven beats of his heart and feels the fingers of Shiro's human hand brushing his hair in slow strokes.

“I don’t know” is the awaited answer, delicate in all of its honesty, yet Shiro does not stop his grooming. Keith knows his inner alpha, if there is such a thing, is purring.

“I’ve barely met him, and I want him here.” The fingers on his hair tighten for a bit, and there is more conveyed on that involuntary move than on the words spoken “He has answers I want, and he…”

Shiro’s words die between them. Keith knows he won’t have the answer if he stops prodding.

“Is he what you want?” he asks, placing a hand on his chest and looking up right into those grey eyes. If someone walks through the door, they would think something unfortunate.

Oh, he knows the rumors. Heard them, heard them all after the Kerberos Mission. How he now was a mateless alpha; how his performance would fall now that he wasn’t cozying up to the pampered omega of the garrison; how ‘rowdy alpha’ he was now that there was no ‘wet omegan fuckhole to keep him sated’. How he should have ‘knotted that omega so that he never set foot on the mission quarters and wasted the Kerberos Mission on an amateur accident’.

He had gotten on a fight over that last one so bloody he was expelled.

He regretted nothing.

Because all rumors were false. Even though they were close, even if they tended to gravitate to one another, fell asleep together on the same bed, or next to each other after a long night of theorizing flight simulations, stargazing and analyzing patterns, he and Shiro never had that kind of bond, and never would. Not even when the opportunity presented itself. Shiro was his brother; they were family even if not connected by blood.

That year alone was a nightmare, and then people had dared to insult their relationship!

It didn’t matter anymore, Shiro was back, with him, safe. Not for the lack of trying, but Keith will remedy that, he swears. He’s not a cub that needs protection and it hurts when Shiro does this omega thing of making sure his little siblings are safe and then insisting  _you should lead Voltron in case I don’t make it_.

Gods but does it hurt to think about it. How Shiro is burning and burning without a moment to rest. How he can’t touch the cracks, press forward, and have him lean on him without the fear of pressing a landmine. Voltron is great and necessary, but sometimes, when he sees the cracks this burden of leadership leaves on Shiro he wonders if it is worth it.

He does not trust the Galra, but he trusts the sign of that blade. Ulaz must have used it to free Shiro from the empire, and Keith used one to do the same once he arrived on earth. There are no coincidences in the universe, he has never believed in them.

Once he would do more than pass a hand around Shiro’s shoulders or elbow him in the ribs. But that was the relationship of two boys on earth. If the closeness Shiro needs right now is one he wants to find in Ulaz, Keith will respect the claim.

“I’m not opposed,” Shiro finally says –whispers with a thread of sound. Keith frowns and curses Zarkon and the Empire. Whatever had happened during that year, whatever they had done, whatever Shiro must have done to survive and the fact that his brother doesn’t remember anything – everything. A year ago, Shiro would have admitted this freely, without a hint of shame or self-consciousness –would have even joked about how he was not going to settle down with an alien chick like he had fantasized in his first years in the Garrison but with a purple handsome.

They took more than his arm and Keith won’t forgive them.

“Shiro”

“Hm?”

“You deserve to be happy too” he declares, and there is more than one emotion in his voice. His brother’s hand on his hair grows slack, but Keith won’t take it back. Whatever Shiro thinks, this is the truth, the only one Keith will allow, and if the omega finds joy and safety in the arms of a Galra, then everyone else in this castle can fucking suck it up.

“How mature of you,” Shiro replies a bit shaky and does not cry, doesn’t move much either, but he can smell the distress tinted with shame, buried, all buried but Keith’s nose has been better than anyone has and he  _knows_  Shiro. This is as far as he’ll reach tonight and that is fine, Shiro needs him more right now anyway, and so he sneaks his arms around Shiro pulling him closer, washing a bit of his scent and humming softly to calm him down.

His goal is all set. Shiro chose Ulaz, and Keith would not allow the Galra to deny him, or cower away from the needs his brother will have. Though he has the suspicion, it won’t be hard at all.

 


	2. Allura

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Galras are weird. Humans are weirder. And both are in her ship.  
>  _courting_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo this is a bit late, but I just had to get over Voltron's end. 
> 
> Ulaz is alive, and so is Allura. Forever. Thank you.

It had come to her attention that, while by appearance alone one could distinguish between male and female (oh hush, she had always had her suspicion that Pidge was a girl), their organ make up vastly differed from one another. In reality Keith had more in common with Pidge (and hadn’t _that_ been a surprise the first time they were analysed in the decontamination chamber?), than Lance and Hunk, and almost none with Shiro even though all four were _males_.

Pidge and Lance had explained it to her to the most meager detail and she had just nodded without wholly understanding. The human biology was too convoluted and oftentimes so impractical that it almost seemed archaic –like a vestige of an unnecessary organ that resisted erasure by evolution.

What she understood, by contrasting with her own knowledge, was that gender for humans consisted in the conjunction of a physical order and a biological compulsion. Unlike Alteans, both were decided at conception and would not change: the Physical Order developing the human’s appearance, while the Biological Compulsion developing the reproductive aspects of the individual.

 _You can change that, of course, but it requires specialized chirurgical operation,_ Pidge had explained, _–I won’t recommend it at all. People think it’s a matter of knots, heats or nothing, but it has been proven again and again that there is a neurotypical factor that will revolt with any biological change across the extremes. From Side Y to Side X and back? Easy Peasy, but from One extreme to the other, heck from One Side to Beta or the other way around? No success yet._

There was also a form of societal structure around it.

Alphas like Pidge herself and Keith were dominant attackers. Vanguards that explored first and relished in breaking new ground, new laws, new concepts, who rallied and inspired their communities and established their territory.

Betas like Lance and Hunk were the peacemakers. The logical people among the orders. The ones who kept asking questions, finding motives, and unraveling the strategies of their community to keep them safe and sustained.

Omegas like Shirogane were fierce fertile protectors. A line of defense armed with claws and spears and the might of the community they connected and thrived. The community and children they claimed as theirs.

She had been skeptical at first. Lance did not seem logical by measured standards, but Blue had chosen her Paladin, and Lance’s gift of bringing levity to any situation was appreciated.

There would be an event coming soon that would neutralize the black Paladin, and there was no form of stopping it from happening. At least not without deadly consequences. Or so Pidge and Hunk had judiciously insisted.

Shiro had apparently inhibited the event for more than Seven years, and now he was overdue to one –just unsure as to when it would occur. Coran had run the numbers at her request and the estimation had been correct. Not that she doubted her paladin’s knowledge of their species over her technology, but she had hoped there was something in the castle that could be of help for Shiro and Voltron.

Especially given that the only solution available was… well.

Copulation. Vigorous and messy copulation that expanded for a whole Spicolian movement on end and only stalled shortly with a certain kind of phallus.

Alteans were very open with the act of copulation. There had been festivities on her planet dedicated to it even. There were tasteful manuscripts and one very prolific branch of the arts devoted to it. She was no stranger to the act herself either, or the multiple forms one would take –nor was she uninterested in finding how strange this madly marathoner copulation would be like.

What had her wary were the emotional components the copulation would carry. Pidge had ended her explanation of these events (the so called _heats_ ) with an apologetic shrug at Shiro and a simple “I’m sorry, can’t do that” to which Shiro had taken no offense.

Apparently, copulating during heats –aside of guaranteeing fertility and conception-, was a form of establishing instinctual and emotional connections between alphas and omegas in ways that would take years to unravel.

 _“And if there’s a bite?”_ Lance had said, _“Though luck on ever believing you are single ever again”_.

This could pose a serious strain in the bond between the Paladins. Lance had offered his services then, arguing that he and Hunk could do it with the help of some toys and that it was pretty much an old Beta responsibility when there was no Alpha around an Omega in heat. Keith had rejected the proposal, but didn’t want to pick the mantle himself.

It had all dissolved into petty bickering, and for a moment, she feared this would strain their relationship as Paladins. It never happened. Shiro knew how to diffuse the situation perfectly, as expected of the leader of Voltron –though now she wonders if that was part of the omega nature. In the end, he had the last word to decline any invitation, if they ever came.

She had offered her services as well. Her shape shifting abilities and lack of biological compatibility would be enough to keep them safe from the dangerous bites at the very least. But it was kindly declined.

 _“Thank you… It is an honor really. Not that well…”_ Shiro had blubbered, his metal hand scratching the back of his neck in a gesture she had come to associate with embarrassment, just like the red splotched on his face. Had the situation not been so delicate, she would have chuckled.

 _“I’m already out of commission during that time.”_ He started again after regaining a bit of composure _“Having you out as well? Without Voltron and the Castle, not a good idea.”_

She had found no flaws on that reasoning and so had helped Hunk, when available, in the bizarre task of creating different phallus instruments that would alleviate Shiro when the heat struck the most. She had even given her Black Paladin an inventory of the many tools stored in the castle that could be of use.

There was still the matter of contact.

Since Shiro had inhibited his biological cycle for such a long time, his body would start to ache as he readjusted to his normal behavior. Cramps, pain, irritability, hypersensitivity to scents, heat flashes. All of them would become more frequent until his body reached the equilibrium point and went into the scary heat.

Touch, especially from alphas, was the human form of soothing the aches before the event. It would not heal them, but there was something in the scent and the biological compulsion of an omega for community and closeness, that relieved the pressure and lowered the feedback of pain.

Not that it was surprising. Humans, she found, are a very tactile species –even during bickering, as is the case between Keith and Lance.

As the princess of the castle, it was her duty to see her paladins as safe as possible out of the field. So she was ready to do her duty with the touching and holding –even if her black paladin tried to scurry away in embarrassment.

She was stronger. Even if there was no famous ‘alpha scent’ it should be enough. Pidge had said that Omegas like to be pampered and manhandled a little.

She could offer that. There was no problem. It was fun. It was funnier watching her paladin try to avoid Coran’s soothing attempts.

It had been no problem until the fight against Zarkon, until Shiro was in the pod healing, until he remembered someone freed him from captivity.

It had been no problem until Ulaz came and slotted into Shiro like a puzzle piece that was missing and overlooked.

A Galra Sentinel on her ship.

She had conceded to Shiro’s plea, but that meant not that she trusted the Galra. Or that she wanted him to remain on her castle no matter how tight the security around him was. Yet she knew that expelling the spy after accepting his stay would be detrimental to the chain of command. She had to convince her paladins first.

She had tried to rally the help of Pidge at the beginning. Sure in the fact that she would see her way. Her family was abducted by Galras, and one of her goals was to get them back. Not to mention she too had distrusted the Galra spy, and was the first one to ever defeat a Galra head on. There was a connection between them and their personal distrust and distaste of Galras in general. Moreover, as an alpha, her place in the human societal hierarchy outside battle could give her some weight.

It was futile. In a matter of minutes the young alpha had weighted the pros and cons and decided to not intervene. “He’s a spy and has valuable information,” she had said. “I am not going to be antagonistic to one of the leads to my family’s whereabouts just because he’s Galra. If he turns out to be evil all along, you can bet Shiro will stop him.”

“That’s what I worry about,” Allura had admitted, and Pidge had glared at her.

“I get where you’re coming from,” she mumbled sullenly “But he’s the black paladin, and a Galra arm won’t override his will. It’s not like he’s going to be alone if that happens you know? We are a team, paladins of Voltron. We are going to stick together through thick and thin.”

The simple admission had left her speechless and Pidge took the chance to scurry away back to her lab.

Perhaps she had taken the wrong approach.

Keith was of no help either. Even in their escapade with Ulaz, trying to thwart whatever Zarkon was doing to track them all, he was quite adamant on helping Ulaz so he could _stay_ on the Castleship. Stay _with_ Shiro. He had even given the Galra a strange ultimatum regarding that.

Keith had deemed Ulaz worthy of Shiro, and Allura was wise enough to know that nothing could sway a Red Paladin from a decision taken. It hadn’t worked with her father, it wouldn’t work with Keith.

She had still tried, of course –yet her hunch had been wrong. Ulaz, the Galra spy wasn’t telling Zarkon their location, and never had.

It was the black lion.

Zarkon had fixated on the Lion like a Sentinel fixated on a guide. Once a bond was established, the sentinel would find their guide no matter the distance or the will of the guide. The discovery had been as appalling as its implications.

She did not truly understand the depths of what a forced bond could do since none of her people had something similar when unions were concerned. Yet despite the differences between the social and biological constitutions of both alien races, it seemed both her paladins and Ulaz had found common ground on it. Or at least their seething rage and horror on behalf of the Lion was equally matched.

As a Sentinel, Ulaz knew about meditation and sensitive projection, and helped train Shiro on what to expect when fighting a Sentinel while trying to break their bonds. Allura found herself unexpectedly sympathizing with the Galra when it happened.

The breaking of bonds was the highest crime in Galra society. A transgression so heinous it was second only to imperial treason. Her father had explained to her once, about how the bond tied soul and quintessence together, how the breaking left a scar on both no matter if it was a peaceful parting or a violent separation. She had found it scary and had a newfound respect for all the Galra families with established bonds.

Galras mated for life, and their bonds were as sacred as their unions –and Ulaz was teaching Shiro how to do it. All for the sake of the universe, and –Allura wasn’t blind as to ignore it-, to keep Shiro safe.

The day Shiro would perfectly synchronize with the Lion grew near as would his fight with Zarkon. Ulaz had chosen to commit an unforgivable sacrilege in order to keep his intended safe. Allura couldn’t help but sympathize and be awed by his diligence –by the depths of his feelings for her Black Paladin.

Shiro seemed aware of Ulaz’ sacrifice –if their growing closeness was anything to go by. Though she had to wonder if perhaps if the closeness was genuine, or just Shiro’s biological compulsion taking hold of a viable companion.

That development, however, still didn’t sit well with her. Unfortunately, she was almost alone in it. Hunk had gone from being neutral –if not distrustful-, to amicable towards the Galra. Pidge, on the other hand, had turned to be team Ulaz all the way.

Lance was the only one still nominally on her side of distrusting the Galra. But she couldn’t count on him always. On one hand, she had the impression her blue paladin was humoring her. On the other, Keith was always there to intercept the most overt advances and Allura feared she could break the bond between the paladins if she pushed her views further.

Not that her views were entirely antagonistic at this point.

Ulaz was a Galra, but… it was harder to reconcile him with the empire they were fighting, and her memories of the empire that Altea fought against. He was helpful in the battlefield, and his knowledge of recent events and the state of the empire and communications had saved them more than once.

It was harder still, to reconcile the sanguinary and relentless monsters Galra sentinels were, with the courteous and delicate behavior Ulaz had around Shiro –or the solemn but kind interactions with the other paladins.

He was supportive of Pidge’s thirst for knowledge and quest of finding her family. He was ready to train and instruct Keith –their closeness almost like siblings if she was honest. He sat down as a guinea pig for Hunk’s food experiments without any reservations.

She had even walked on him and Coran discussing about the greatest galactic travelers of recent time.

Not that it was only her paladins, of course. The subtle courting between the Galra and Shiro hadn’t gone unnoticed. It was now commonplace, almost normal to witness it –and she knew her paladins had some kind of betting pool.

Try as he might, she couldn’t help but find endearing whenever Ulaz walked half a step behind Shiro, out of deference and form of protection. Or Ulaz offered Shiro food first whenever they had lunch before serving himself. The galra always made sure to give her paladin a bigger portion of meat whenever it appeared on the menu. Or how, during ther training sessions he took his time afterwards to soothe any soreness Shiro might have.  

Allura opened a live feed with a flick of her hand.

Shiro was sleeping on his bed. Or rather, he was on his bed, but sleeping on _Ulaz_. The Galra had him tucked like a child against his chest, nuzzling his forehead in a soft mimicry of grooming, arms cradling him, legs tucked underneath his, with a blanket around them. Allura recognized that stance as one that mates would use to hold their beloved. The purring –and there was no way it wasn’t happening, she had happened too many times on Ulaz purring next to Shiro in the safety of their world as they talked about stars and skills- would relax and rest all muscles and the princess knew her Paladin would wake up refreshed and ready.

She had never known Galra to be tender or loving to someone else of a different species but she could not deny what was in front of her. She had vowed to not be blind to the danger as her father had been. But wasn’t denying the truth in front of her another form of blindness?

She had no doubt Ulaz would fight the universe himself to keep Shiro safe. Galras, after all, mated for life and their devotion was as legendary as it was terrifying. Especially Galra Sentinels. To them their mate was the most sacred –and it concerns her that Ulaz has that fixation on Shiro, who is no guide. However, a union between Galra Sentinels and non-guides was common enough even before she went to cryo.

Once upon a time Galras and Alteans had been allies. If this one was pivotal in keeping her family safe and happy while Shiro carried the burden of the leader of Voltron on his shoulders… well, she would endure. Understand. Make amends. Allow herself the opportunity to see something different.

(Still the idea that she was turned down in favor of a _Galra_ makes her itch.)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: Kolivan (feat. A headache).

**Author's Note:**

> Keith is the best wingman in the Galaxy. (As long as he's helping you net a Galra.)  
> 


End file.
